Healing the planet: Qatar "paid for 100 Arab climate activists to attend a demonstration and put them up in a five-star hotel"

Qatar, the richest country in the world on a per capita basis, is proving the most generous host. It has flown in and is paying around 600 students from developing country universities to work in the gigantic convention centre during the talks. It paid for 100 Arab climate activists to attend a demonstration and put them up in a five-star hotel, and it has been known quietly that money is not the problem at these talks. ...Key ministers snub Doha talks

Some key climate ministers are evading planetary duty by snubbing the talks and staying at home. Indian environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan, who saved the Durban talks last year with her dramatic concessions in the last moments, says she has higher political commitments to attend including a key vote in parliament.